by Rob Millard » Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:18 am
People: Me, Moody Marlin, Syl & Ali
Duration: 9am - 6pm
Tide:
Weather: Good
Bait: Spreader bars - 130lbs trolling gear
Rigs:
Results: No fish landed
Report: I would not normally put up a catch report when no fish were actually caught but I wanted to share today's experience anyway. Our friends in Downings, Syl & Ali had been out last Saturday and had spotted a couple of Tuna busts, no great numbers but positive sightings none the less. The following couple of days there were more positive reports from other boats, including 2 hook ups, resulting in fish lost. So as we left Mulroy Bay this morning we had high hopes of at least spotting some fish. We were out only 20 mins when we spotted our 1st bust, and as we followed gannets, we continued to see Tuna appearing on the surface every 10 minutes or so for the first couple of hours with the occasional fish breaching well clear of the water, 1 or 2 within a boat length of us. There then followed about an hour when both the birds & the Tuna disappeared. We were thinking of pulling in the gear and steaming to another area, when the fish began to appear on the surface again. 2 fully breached about 500 yards ahead of us, and as we steamed in that direction at about 5 knots, a fish busted 20' from one of the spreader bars and then in an instant reappeared and swallowed the lure. Cue screaming reel and a missed heart beat. After about 10 seconds the reel stopped screaming, and I reeled in to discover the stinger lure and hook missing. 400lbs mono sliced somehow. We trolled around the area for another hour or 2 spotting the occasional bust and then headed in the direction of home, again spotting fish on the surface every 20 mins or so. As we got within a mile of Mulroy it was lines in time. No sooner had we taken the gear in and put the rods away, the biggest bust of the day appeared in front of us not half a mile from the shore. Tuna breaching everywhere and gannets filling their bellies with saurys. By the time we had the rods back out and the spreader bars back in the water, the frenzy had ended. So, a day with no fish caught, and yet, the most spectacular day out fishing I have had in this country. I feel blessed to have witnessed what I saw today, and after 6 barren years, the mighty Bluefin Tuna is back in our waters. I heard reports of a 600lb tuna landed into Mullaghmore yesterday. After what I witnessed earlier, I don't think it will be the last. I hope the weather holds so I can get back up again within the next week.
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Species 2019: Common Skate, Pollack, Whiting, Coalfish, Cod, Cuckoo Wrasse, Bull Huss, Lsd, Porbeagle Shark, Mackerel, Grey Gurnard, Thornback Ray, Plaice, Turbot, Ballan Wrasse, Dab, Smoothound, herring, haddock, Blonde Ray, Tope, bass
Species 2018 : Porbeagle Shark, Spurdog, Lsd, Coalfish, Pollack, Ling, Mackerel, Haddock, Red Gurnard, Turbot, Dab, Thornback ray, Homelyn Ray, John Dory, Pouting, Ballan Wrasse, Smoothound, Tope, Bass, Bull Huss, Weaver, Painted Ray, Bluefin Tuna
Species 2017 : Cod, Coalfish, Whiting, Poor Cod, Pollack, Bull Huss, Ling, Pouting, Bass, Flounder, Painted Ray, Lsd, Tope, Ballan Wrasse, Mackerel, Herring, Launce, Haddock, Thornback Ray, Conger, Plaice, Turbot, Grey Gurnard, Red Gurnard, Cuckoo Ray, Tub Gurnard, Dab, Smoothound, black goby, Scad, Cuckoo Wrasse, Megrim
Species 2016 : (32)
Species 2015 : (30)
Species 2014 : (29)
Species 2013 : (34)
- For this message the author Rob Millard has received thanks: 3
- chuckaroo (Fri Sep 27, 2013 7:58 pm), JOHN1 (Fri Sep 27, 2013 7:35 pm), Moody Marlin (Fri Sep 27, 2013 12:32 am)